Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Harper-Riggy, Killing Canadians to Please Americans

I just read Rae's latest incoherent crap. Shorter Bob Rae: we are losing in Afghanistan and the heavy odds are we shall continue to lose...but we should stay! Because...um, things might get better? And most importantly, the Americans want us there, Obama needs the help so he can have a better chance of getting reelected. And I, Bob Rae, for one, vigourously support, from the comfort of Ottawa & Toronto...(pour me a sherry, will you?), harrumph, ahem, where was I?, ah yes, I, noble Bob Rae, bravely support Canadians staying in what I admit is a losing mission, odds-on to be lost, in a capacity which is sure to outstrip the claimed budget and human costs (as has been the case from the beginning) and not at all be changed by Cdn & US Govts or NATO over time, because Iggy and I agree that trying to help Obama get re-elected is totally worth wasted Canadian arms, legs, lives, and dollars.

Harper: I won't kid you, I concur. Obama's re-election effort is totally worth further Canadian losses in what Bob & I both recognise is a losing effort, if not already lost.

Iggy: hey guys, don't forget, kowtowing to the Americans and propagandising for them is MY schtick, give ME some credit. I was an apologist for mortal folly to please American presidents long before anyone else!

So we're agreed.

Point 1: Have been losing. Are losing. Odds-on to keep on losing.

Point 2: But we should stay, killing Canadians, to please the Americans.

Point 3: Actually, really just to please Obama, so he can claim allies in his own extended war effort, increasing odds of re-election.

Point 4: Canadian lives,limbs and dollars are worth less to us than Obama's re-election. (EFL disagrees, not even one life or limb worth it. But can see the argument. Question though, just how many Canadian lives and limbs is Obama's re-election worth? I'm sure you've costed it, but I'm guessing up to 1000, given stated commitments.)

As Walkom, Spector, et.al. understand, when you strip away all the BS, this is where we're at. We're trading Canadian limbs, lives and dollars to try to help Obama get re-elected.

You can't recognise it's going badly, and probably will, and little sign or chance of success in South and East, and say we should stay, and be a rational person, unless it's for domestic and foreign political calculation. It goes without saying that domestic maneuvring, as Harper-Riggy have done, is beneath contempt. And I know a thing or two, so unless there's some secret black box in the PMO with information on the awful consequences of saying No to the American President that outweigh those of saying Yes, at the cost of lives, limbs and dollars, the foreign policy calculation is even more contemptible. Canadian PMs who have said no to supposed imperial leaders: Laurier, Borden, King, St-Laurent, Diefenbaker, Pearson, Trudeau, Chrétien. But Harper-Riggy are hardly comparable, hardly Canadians, hardly men. What would be the cost of saying No to continuing a mission that every rational observer recognises is a failure? What could Obama/USA do that would outweigh the costs we will incur in Afghanistan? How many Canadian lives, limbs and dollars would be lost if we said No, instead of saying Yes? What? Nothing I know of. Just must be a case of colonised elites. In truth, you have nothing to fear, but fear itself.

One consolation is the dark comedy of watching Rae turn into Iggy & Harper, circa 2002. The Taliban are Nazis! The anti-war chumps are appeasers like Chamberlain! Iggy, Harper and I form the axis of bravery and goodness! We are Churchill! We are not at all mindful of partisan considerations! We are totally democrats, fighting for democracy in Afghanistan and the World, in an epic manichaen struggle! And defying the will of the Canadian people is totally democratic! And running away from a debate and vote in the House is totally democratic and in line with our past statements! And brave! Noble!

If George W. Bush followed foreign politics, he'd be most amused by the imitation. Though he must find Obama amusing enough as it is.

When the coffins come home, remember statements like this one from Rae: "It is hard to see a road to success, and hard as well to see much progress in the life and condition of the people". When we eventually do leave, and some bastards control where we were, returning to their ways, remember this: Rae, Harper, Iggy, all of them, the media, they knew. They knew.